Eleganza Empowers

A Harvard sports arena transformed into a runway on April 25 for the 21st anniversary of Eleganza. Backflips, maxi dresses, and hip-hop music filled the Lavietes Pavilion in an event that sought to be more than just a high-energy production. Both behind-the-scenes and on-stage, Eleganza was ultimately a display of the organization’s three pillars: fashion, charity, and diversity.

Development of this year’s show began in late April of last year after Preeti V. Srinivasan ’16, Nancy T. Liu ’16, and Haylee A. Smith ’17 were named executive producers. According to Liu, the three spent the summer preparing for model auditions and board interviews, among other aspects of production. In the months leading up to the show, the team communicated with different businesses to secure financial sponsorships. They also reached out to name brands like American Apparel and independent designers like Reyna Lay for the styles that would eventually clothe their models.

To make the necessary preparations, the organization had to coordinate across six different boards. “We had 91 board members and models, and you had to learn to work with different types of people in different situations,” Smith says. “You want to make a team that works well together.”

Their year-long efforts culminated in the creation of three scenes centering around the theme of Pandora’s Box, inspired by the Greek myth of Epimetheus (Kashif K. Fulton ’15) and Pandora (Schuyler C. Moore ’15). In addition to its mythological themes, the show also featured guest performances, including a spoken word piece from Zuri, a teenager from the Boston Center for Teen Empowerment. Every act contributed to a production that, for many of the performers and board members, immediately drew them into the organization when they first saw the show as an audience member: Fulton, in fact, cites Eleganza as one of the reasons he committed to Harvard. “I felt…Harvard kids could definitely let their hair down and have some fun,” he says.

Eleganza’s effects extend farther than the confines of Harvard; all proceeds go to the Center for Teen Empowerment, and this year the community service board made further efforts to engage with the program. According to Liu, Eleganza brought teens from the center to Harvard several times over the course of the year and advised them on the college admissions process. “We want to establish more of a mentorship program…and provide a resource for them beyond donating money to the organization,” Liu says.

The organization’s philanthropy has impacted not only the recipients of its charity but also the members themselves. Srinivasan, Liu, and Smith assert that seeing their work result in something cohesive has been a fulfilling experience. “[Eleganza] really empowers you in that there is a great thing that comes out of all the hard work,” Smith says. “The show itself is incredibly magical for anyone working in it and modeling in it.”

Contributing to this compelling character is Eleganza’s inclusivity. For instance, the show includes performances from the Asian American Dance Troupe, Black Men’s Forum, and Ghungroo. “The best thing about Harvard is its people and the fact that we come from different walks of life,” finance board member and model Jazmine K. Phillips-Acie ’18 says. “[Eleganza is] a great way to celebrate the people of Harvard for being beautiful in our unique ways...and [to celebrate] differences in a separation from the paradigm of beauty.”

This diverse nature further defines the organization’s membership. According to Srinivasan, Eleganza draws on an assorted group of people with different capabilities, from those interested in dance to those concerned with finance and business. “No matter what skill set you bring to the table...there is a place for you within the ’Ganza family,” she says.

Indeed, each executive producer’s introduction to Eleganza reflects this internal diversity. Smith joined for an opportunity to work with fashion in an extracurricular activity; Srinivasan was stunned by Eleganza’s theatrics and wanted to contribute to its production; Liu reached out to work as a makeup artist for the show and ended up becoming community service chair before serving as executive producer.

Such a welcoming environment ultimately creates a meaningful space for members. “The people who do Eleganza are some of my best friends on campus,” Moore says. “You make friendships here that you can’t make anywhere else.”

Smith expresses similar sentiments. “[Eleganza] has made me incredibly confident,” she says. “It brings everyone all over campus together in one room. Eleganza has become the thing that has defined my college career.”

—Staff writer Ha D.H. Le can be reached at ha.le@thecrimson.com.